Homeless Hero Speaks Out After Aussies Raise Over $136K

Newsroom

Posted on November 14, 2018
by Olivia Esveld

Michael Rogers, the man who selflessly came to the aid of police officers armed with nothing but a trolley during a terrifying terrorist attack in Melbourne last week, has spoken out about the kindness of strangers after a GoFundMe page raised thousands of dollars for him.

‘Trolleyman’, who has quickly become known as a hero to many Australians across the country, has spoken of his shock and gratitude after complete strangers banded together to raise over $136,000 to help him get back on his feet.

At last check, the GoFundMe page set up in his honour by the founder and managing director of Melbourne Homeless Collective, Donna Stolzenberg, was sitting at $140,450 from over 5000 donations.

Speaking with Daily Mail Australia, Mr Rogers has said that he’s going to use the money to help set up his life.

“I want to be a good guy,” he said. “I’m going to try anything to do the right thing because I just wanna get a place to settle in that I like, and set it up the way I want it.”

Mr Rogers has lived most of his life on the streets. After recently spending some time in jail for stealing a bike, he has been living for the past five weeks in a commission home in Footscray that has no power.

During his heroic efforts on Friday afternoon to stop a man on Bourke Street who was attempting to stab people with a knife, Mr Rogers also smashed his mobile phone.

Donna Stolzenberg has said that most of the money will be put into a trust for the homeless hero to ensure that he doesn’t blow it all at once or get taken advantage of, however, just last night they gave him a new phone and $500.

Rogers immediately went to have a meal at his favourite restaurant, a Porchetta, ordering spaghetti marinara and pizza.

While Mr Rogers is excited about finally being able to enjoy some of the comforts that most Aussies take for granted each day, he has pledged that $15,000 of the money will be donated to charity.

“I’m gonna share it around. I’ve already told the Salvos, I’ll take a select few out to restaurants - I’ll pay for everything,” he said.

On Friday, Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, a 30-year-old known to authorities for his radical views, parked a four-wheel drive laden with gas cylinders on Bourke Street and stabbed three men, and sadly killed beloved Melbourne restaurateur, Sisto Malaspin.

Mr Rogers witnessed the attack and used a trolley to repeatedly ram the 30-year-old Somalian man during the rampage.

Shire Ali was shot in the chest by a police officer he threatened with a knife and died in hospital.

Federal police said the attacker had his passport cancelled in 2015 amid fears the Somali-born man would go to Syria.